The Occult in Victorian Britain
| Module title | The Occult in Victorian Britain |
|---|---|
| Module code | HIC2316 |
| Academic year | 2019/0 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Dr Richard Noakes (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 50 |
|---|
Module description
Why were the Victorians so fascinated by the occult and what we now call the ‘paranormal’? This module examines the origins, development and cultural meanings of this fascination, with special reference to animal magnetism/Mesmerism, apparitions, Modern Spiritualism, psychical research, ritual magic. We situate these preoccupations in the wider context of heated debates over religious and scientific authority, industrialization, urbanization and secularization. The module also reflects on the continuation of occult beliefs, practices and debates to the present day.
The module assumes no prior knowledge of the Victorian period and its interdisciplinary approach will appeal to Single and Combined Honours students.
Module aims - intentions of the module
This module explores one of the most intriguing features of the post-Enlightenment period: the persistence of belief in such ‘occult’ phenomena as ghosts, spirits of the dead, and thought-reading. By the close study of primary and secondary source materials, it critically engages with the argument that nineteenth century, and in particular Victorian, passion for the occult was a ‘flight’ from the reasoning approach to the world established during the European Enlightenment of the eighteenth century. It explores the claim that the Victorian interest in occult was a response to problems of religious and moral authority, the implications of new scientific and philosophical interpretations of the cosmos, the effects of new technologies and urban environments, and the growth of the mass media and popular politics.
The module also considers the ways in which histories of the occult have changed since the Victorian period, and what insights these have yielded. Students will acquire a detailed understanding of specific aspects of the occult and the broader religious, political, scientific, and economic issues in Victorian Britain. Students will enhance their skills in close and critical reading of primary and secondary sources and this will provide excellent preparation for the level 3 dissertation.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Demonstrate a detailed understanding of the main themes in the history of occult beliefs and practices in Britain and other countries from the late eighteenth to the early twentieth century, together with a deeper knowledge of themes to be selected by students for essay and seminar work.
- 2. Demonstrate in written and oral contributions the ability to link changes in occult beliefs and practices to broader historical developments.
- 3. Demonstrate a sound knowledge of the historiography of the occult.
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 4. Analyse and reflect critically and contextually upon historical texts relating to a specific historical period or theme.
- 5. Collate data from a range of sources, both primary and secondary
- 6. With limited guidance, understand and deploy historical terminology in a comprehensible manner
- 7. With limited guidance, handle different approaches to history in areas of controversy.
- 8. Work with primary sources under direction from the module tutor.
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 9. Show evidence of ability to read and use texts and source materials critically and empathetically
- 10. Present material for group discussion and have respect for others reasoned views
- 11. With limited guidance, gather and deploy material to produce, to a deadline, a coherent and cogent argument
Syllabus plan
Histories of the occult; contexts of Victorian Britain; the occult during the Enlightenment; mesmerism and medicine; Victorian ‘crisis of faith’?; Modern Spiritualism; contesting scientific, medical, clerical and moral authority; ghost stories and psychology; spiritualism, psychical research and Modern Theosophy at war; occultisms during the First World War; disenchantment or re-enchantment of the world.
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | 128 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Lectures | 11 | Provide a spine through which all students can be brought to a similar level of knowledge and through which ideas and controversies can be transmitted |
| Seminar | 11 | The seminars will focus on particular aspects of the subject-matter, with a view to offering a fuller understanding than can be delivered through the lectures, allowing the students to develop their skills and knowledge more fully. Students will be expected to prepare adequately for seminars in advance by reading and evaluating and to discuss the issues raised in the seminar itself. |
| Guided independent study | 60 | Individual essays. You should spend a significant amount of time on independent research reading, planning and writing your individual essay. This research will be expected to extend significantly into the further reading supplied on ELE. |
| Guided independent study | 33 | Reading for lectures. It is expected that you will spend three hours preparing for each lecture by reading. Materials to be supplied on ELE. |
| Guided independent study | 33 | Reading for seminars. It is expected that you will spend three hours preparing for each seminar by reading. Materials to be supplied on ELE. |
| Guided independent study | 2 | Group work for presenting one of the weekly formative presentations. The distribution of this effort should be agreed by the groups |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Draft essya plan | 800 words | 1-9, 11 | Written and verbal comments |
| Group presentation | 5 mins per student plus Q&A | 1-11 | Written and verbal comments |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 100 | 2500 words | 1-9, 11 | Mark and written comments |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay 2,500w | Essay 2,500w | 1-9, 11 | Referral/deferral period |
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Bown, N., Burdett, C., and Thurschwell, P. (eds.) (2004), The Victorian Supernatural. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Brown, C. (2001). The Death of Christian Britain: Understanding Secularisation 1800-2000. London: Routledge
Burrow, J. (2000), The Crisis of Reason. European Thought, 1848-1914. New Haven: Yale University Press
Davies, O. (2007), Haunted: A Social History of Ghosts. Palgrave: Macmillan
Finucane, R. C. (1972), Appearances of the Dead: A Cultural History of Ghosts. London: Junction Books
Gauld, A. (1968). The Founders of Psychical Research. London: Routledge
Goodrick-Clarke, N. (2009), The Western Esoteric Traditions: A Historical Introduction. New York: Oxford University Press
Hanegraaff, W. (2013), Western Esotericism: A Guide for the Perplexed. London: Bloomsbury Academic
Harvey, C. and Matthew, H. C. G. (2000), Nineteenth Century Britain: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press
Houghton, W. (1957). The Victorian Frame of Mind, 1830-70. New Haven. Yale University Press
Melechi. A. (2008), Servants of the Supernatural: The Night Side of the Victorian Mind. London: William Heinemann
Owen, A. (2004). The Place of Enchantment: British Occultism and the Culture of the Modern. Chicago: Chicago University Press
Pearsall, R. (2004). The Table-Rappers: The Victorians and the Occult. Stroud: Alan Sutton
Sconce, J. (2000). Haunted Media: Electronic Presence from Telegraphy to Television. Durham, North Carolina: Duke University Press
Turner, F. (1993). Contesting Cultural Authority: Essays on Victorian Intellectual Life. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
ELE – College to provide hyperlink to appropriate pages
Indicative learning resources - Other resources
Web based and electronic resources:
http://www.victorianweb.org/index.html
http://people.wku.edu/charles.smith/index1.htm
| Credit value | 15 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | none |
| Module co-requisites | none |
| NQF level (module) | 6 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Last revision date | 24/02/2017 |
